Tonight's the night?

My chiropractor told me today that she thought I would have the baby tonight. She was quite adamant about it. She said she "just had a feeling."

I'm willing to be at least 50 bucks that that is not going to happen.

However, my second midwife, Nasrin, who I totally LOVE, told me today that the baby is engaged and things could happen anytime although she expects me to deliver at 38 or 39 weeks. Of course, 38 weeks is in just five days (!). She was seriously excited about this. She's a passionate midwife and I love her attitude and approach. She also made my day when, after I mentioned that I'm a home VBAC (vaginal birth after ceasarean), she said: "Oh no, you're not a VBAC anymore in my opinion. You already VBAC'd. Now you're just a natural childbirther." I could have kissed her right there...which may have been awkward.

I'm pretty much ready with supplies and whatnot. We're having another homebirth which requires us to have a few things ready (by us I mean me, of course). I have almost everything in a bin... a bin that is clearly too small so later tonight I will transfer everything to a larger basket and then check against my list to make sure I do have everything in there I need. It's a pretty simple list really: towels, plastic tablecloths, something to use as hot compresses (I like to use cloth prefold diapers), a mirror (optional), olive oil, the "hospital supplies" kit from the midwives (includes hospital-grade stuff like peri bottle and those blue sheet things), thermometer. I'll be getting the tub from the midwives a few days before my due date which may mean I won't get to use it. Which would suck because it really helped me last time.

And as I write I'm boiling my herbal bath mixture that I'll use right after the birth for me and the baby. After it's boiled 20 minutes, I strain it, separate into two containers (so I can have another herbal bath the day after the birth) and then freeze it until the big day.

Next week my primary midwife, Mina, comes for a home visit and I'll also have my first internal which will give me some indication perhaps of any dilation that's already happened. (I do feel like I'm walking with a melon between my legs sometimes.)

Yesterday I was struck down with my first bout of sciatica. For those of you out there with chronic sciatica: YOU HAVE MY UNDYING SYMPATHY. It totally sucks and is extremely painful. I'll be glad to say bye-bye to that. Of course, it's a good excuse to not have to do the dishes since standing for any length of time makes it much more frequent.

And now, belly shots (I swear I look much bigger... or at least feel much bigger... in real life. And certainly people's reactions when I'm out and about make me believe that they think so too):